THE MINISTRY LEADER PODCAST

There's no question that the pace of our lives is not what we expected it would be as we launch into a new year of school and ministry. But there is opportunity to hit the reset button. In this episode, Brian offers a few questions to help you set your pace for the year ahead. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 00:00... My bad 10K experience 04:33... Setting a sustainable pace... 05:04... ...for yours...

Young people are searching for identity throughout the course of their middle school and high school years. But at the moment, many of the things they usually find identity in -- sports, extra-curricular and co-curricular actitivities -- are still up in the air as the school year begins. In this episode we discuss the necessity for caring adults to walk with students, especially now, and point the...

When we face obstacles, like say, a nation-wide shut down, it’s easy to get discouraged and feel stuck and sometimes it is difficult to find a path forward. So for today’s episode I had a conversation with a ministry leader about looking past the limitations to focus on the possibilities. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 00:38... Today's guest: Ked Moser 01:44... From elementary teacher to Campus Li...

Life is a highway and we're stuck in traffic! As frustrating as that can be, there are often things we can do in the midst of the waiting that will prepare us for what lies ahead. In this episode Brian shares three ways leaders can prepare now for significant impact later.

The last couple of months have been challenging for all of us, but it has been a time of accelerated learning and dynamic change that has probably been a long time coming. There’s a lot we could talk about but in this episode we'll discuss what what quarantine taught us about youth ministry. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 01:57... Lesson 1: Face to face, in person relationships are incredibly valu...

In this episode Brian continues the conversation with Scott Smiley (City Life Ministry Director in Southeast Fort Wayne, Indiana) about race, relationships, and reconciliation. You can catch the first part of the conversation, released on June 29, 2020 at the link below. This episode focuses on how ministry leaders can lead engage young people in these discussions. RESOURCES Listen to part 1 of th...

In this episode Brian sat down with Scott Smiley, City Life Ministry Director in Southeast Fort Wayne, Indiana to discuss the issues of race, relationships, and reconciliation that are front and center in our nation right now. This episode highlights the first half of a longer conversation. Check out our next episode for the second half that focused on how we can engage young people in similar con...

When the Lord calls us, He always makes a way for us. In this week's episode Chase shares his journey of following where God has led him through the years and where he's leading him next. That's right, this is Chase's final episode as co-host of the ministry leader podcast, and as sad as we are to see him go, we're excited about his involvemen in the ministry he will now be leading. Listen now to...

Summer is often a time of transition for ministry teams as some leaders choose to step away and new leaders join the team. It can be a difficult decision either way. In this episode we discuss how to know when the time is right to step away. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 00:23... Why we're talking about this 02:06... Reasons to stay and serve 02:48... Bad reasons to leave 06:00... Knowing when th...

In the world of youth ministry things don't always go as planned. In this episode, we'll share 5 things every youth worker should have in their very own survival kit. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Special announcement about upcoming episodes 01:06... Intro 02:10... 5 things you should always have on hand: 02:53... A back pack (full of stuff) 05:48... A time keeping device 06:48... A small box of things...

Ready to get out of your house and back to ministry? So are we! Our team came together to brainstorm safe ways to re-engage with students this summer. In this episode we'll share seven of their top ideas to that will help you gather with groups of various sizes. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 01:04... 7 Ideas for safe social distancing ministry (by group size) 02:42... Groups of 10-15: 02:46... Bo...

Memorial Day in the United States signifies the unofficial start to summer. Though we are beginning to slowly emerge from our homes following the coronavirus quarantine, our summer ministry schedule will still look much different than we had planned. In this episode we share 3 ways your ministry can still build momentum this summer. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 02:49... A look back at a typical...

One of the most common concerns voiced by youth workers through the COVID crisis is a major drop in "attendance" as programming moved to online venues. The question that is commonly asked is, "what do I do when students don't show up?" However, we think the question we really need to ask is, "Why are we expecting them to show up to our online programs?" In this episode we share what we've learned...

As state and local officials begin to loosen restrictions put in place in response to the coronovirus outbreak, it is time to start thinking about how we safely and wisely re-engage in ministry wtih young people. In this episode Brian offers 6 things every ministry must consider when making their plans. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 01:04... The tension and the caution 03:58... Disclaimer! 04:48....

We've been in survival mode for almost two months hoping to weather the storm of COVID19. But now it may be time to shift and think about how we can move beyond surviving and consider how we can thrive in this new ministry context. Plus it's Star Wars Day! May the Fourth be with you! IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 01:54... Shifting from survival mode to thrival mode 04:21... Imagineering... an exe...

Youth workers have tried a lot of new things in the last six weeks in their efforts to stay connected with young people in their communities - some have been excellent and some have not been all that effective. In this episode we welcome back a familiar voice who has been on the front lines making some of those adjustments. He shares the ups and downs of the last month and what he's learned throug...

We are currenly moving into our sixth week of making adjustments to life and ministry due to stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus. It has been a challenging but encouraging few weeks as church and youth ministry leaders have shown great ability to be nimble and adapt quickly to the changing times. But now it may be time to start thinking about new ministry beyond COVID19. IN THIS EPI...

When the COVID19 threat became a reality many of us pivoted, made the necessary adjustments, and did what needed to be done. But we're beginning to feel signs of exhaustion now that the initial adrenaline rush is over. In this episode, we discuss the need many youthworkers have right now to take a time out to regroup, refresh and refuel and we offer some resources to help you care for yourself in...

Beyond the fear of spreading or contracting COVID19, teenagers are experiencing a loss of freedom. In this episode, our guest Eric Kelly, who has spent his career in ministry to incarcerated teens, shares the similarities of the changing mindset of teenagers in lock up and those who are now cut off, at least physically, from life outside their homes and offers insights on how leaders can best enga...

As we continue to document how youth workers across the United States are navigating the COVID19 threat that has restricted many of us to our own homes, we are learning that ministry leaders are adapting quickly and leveraging new opportunites for ministry. This week we are joined by special guest, Jon Christensen who serves as the Senior Director of National Ministries for Youth For Christ, USA....

The world is changing quickly and our daily routines are shifting due to the COVID19 virus that is spreading across the country. But rather than shutting down, youth minsitries all over the country are adapting and continuing to engage students and families in new and innovative ways. In this episode we share our experience navigating these changes over the last week and share some encouraging tre...

Our routines are changing quickly as we all adapt to the threat of the COVID19 virus that is spreading across our country and around the world. At the time of this recording many schools have moved to online learning, all major sports are on hold, churches are hosting services online, and restaurants are only serving carry out and delivery. This certainly provides some challenges to ministry as us...

IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... A word of encouragement during the COVID19 pandemic 04:06... Intro 07:41... Assembling a prayer team 08:05... Who to ask 10:41... What to communicate 12:30... How to communicate 13:41... How much to communicate 15:29... Special announcement about Episode 75 RESOURCES Visit our Facebook page and social media accounts to submit questions for our 75th episode: Brian: Facebook...

One of the best ways to dig in and really get to know a young person's story is simply have a one-on-one conversation. In YFC we call those appointments and in this episode we offer our top 5 tips for having great appointments. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00... Intro 00:45... Ideas from a previous episode 01:25... Top 5 tips for a great appointment: 01:35... 5. Focus on the young person and their needs 02:...

As spring approaches your youth ministry may be making preparations for some big trips. Spring break trips, retreats, summer camps and mission trips are all on the horizon and you may have an opportunity to jump on board. It's an exciting time but going on your first trip can also be a little nerve-racking. In this episode we offer some tips to help you prepare for your first or your five hundredt...